Divine Tragedy
by Adidesu
Summary: What happens when the Qliphoth comes down and the Sparda boys are forced to face each other and themselves? The sons of Sparda must learn how to deal with their past mistakes, atone for their sins, while simultaneously trying to navigate a world post-Urizen. There are, however, several loose ends that must be dealt with... M for language and general themes
1. Chapter 1

Dante and Vergil

Cutting down the Qliphoth roots really could have been a one man job. Vergil really could have handled it on his own. Dante knew that, of course, but he wasn't willing to let his brother walk into Hell alone again. And deep down, somewhere in the pits of his heart, Vergil knew that too. But just because there was a quasi-mutual understanding didn't mean that the twin brothers had completely made amends. In fact, the situation couldn't be further from the truth. They had done little other than brawl the entire time they had been in Hell. Any respite they found from fighting each other just meant fighting the lesser demons that dared try them. Even cutting down the Qliphoth, something that should have been a cooperative task, was reduced to just another competition. Who could cut the most roots? Obviously it was Vergil who won that challenge, owing his victory to his vastly superior speed. Who could cut through the thickest roots? That prize went to Dante, who revelled in the way Vergil ground his teeth in defeat.

Once the Qliphoth had fallen, the brothers stood in silence for a few moments and watched it fall. Dante eyed Vergil with just a hint of suspicion. Vergil watched the horrid tree fall with his lips pursed and brows furrowed. His feverish desire to kill the man standing defenseless next to him had led him... Where, exactly? He had split himself in half, releasing his demon half and his human half. Urizen had raised the tree himself. Sat upon its throne. Watched as it siphoned the blood of thousands. Consumed its fruit. V had found Dante and Nero. Asked for their help. Found Urizen and united them once more. Multiple chances to kill Dante. It should have been _easy_.

And yet, the tree still fell and Vergil stood there watching the monument to his folly crumble before his very eyes.

"How you holdin' up, Verge? You look a little green around the gills," said Dante, breaking the silence. Vergil said nothing, but simply unsheathed the Yamato and took a few steps forward.

"We need to seal the portal between the Demon World and the Human World. I can't do it until the tree has cleared the portal, or else it will leave a mess on the other side. We also need to clear the demons that will try to escape. Then leave the rest to me."

Dante summoned his namesake sword and gave it a few swings. Though the sword had a strength of its own and resonated with him in a way Rebellion didn't, he still missed _seeing_ his father's old sword and the familiarity that came with it. Things change, he supposed.

"If you say so," he said. "I don't think that'll be a problem. We've been slicing up demons since we got here, what's a few more?"

Clearing the demons as they tried to escape around the Qliphoth truly was no issue for either man, and the Qliphoth crumbled over the course of a few hours. Everything was going according to Vergil's plan. Dante was actually enjoying himself. It was the most time he'd spent around his brother in decades. Though he still felt the tension between them so strongly, not to mention the memories and emotions he wouldn't let himself feel were still just beneath the surface, he couldn't help but bask in his brother's presence. After all these years… He was alive for god sake! Sure, he was still kind of a prick, even aside from the human genocide he had just committed, but really, how much had Dante changed? Though they still fought viciously, all it did was remind Dante of their shared childhood in the Sparda estate just outside of Redgrave City. All of those days fighting over toys or for their parents' attention, and what had changed? It was fucked up, but still brought a smile to Dante's face.

"Alright Verge," Dante said, clapping his hand together. "The tree is gone, the demons are gone, let's close this bad boy up and… well, I don't really know what there is to do after this in Hell but we'll figure it out. Maybe we'll go swim in a sulfur lake, have a picnic. We'll make a whole day of it!"

Vergil turned to face him, slowly. There was a look in his eyes that Dante couldn't place. Anger? Hatred? Vergil looked from Dante to the Yamato in his hand, and then to the portal. He shook his head and laughed. It was a hollow laugh, devoid of humor, which made sense considering Dante knew his jokes weren't particularly funny

"Dante… Did you really think I would let you stay here in the Underworld with me? You don't belong here," Vergil said harshly.

"Huh? What do you mean I-" Vergil held up a hand to stop him.

"You belong here as much as I belong up there, Dante. I entertained you on the surface for the sake of cleaning up the mess I made. But you don't belong here. You didn't follow me down all of those years ago when I asked, and you won't follow me down when I don't want you." He chuckled. "More than twenty years have passed, yet it seems we still stand where did when we were young. I am going to close that portal, Dante, and you need to be on the other side."

Dante stood, mouth agape. Vergil might as well have punched him right in the stomach. How could he say he didn't want him here? Vergil had enjoyed their sparring, even Dante could tell that much. But for him to say he didn't want him there at all? Decades of grief and anger sat between the two of them, and they hadn't even had the chance to deal with what had happened in the past several months.

"Bullshit!" Dante yelled back. "What do you mean you don't want me here? 'Make haste, Dante.' I've been here with you this whole time and you haven't complained once, except about my ability to count. Which, _by the way_, was right! I was up one!"

"Don't be foolish Dante," Vergil said, shaking his head. _Pain_. The look in his eyes had been pain. "You can't possibly think you can make it down here. This life isn't-" Vergil couldn't finish his sentence. He turned his back on Dante and drew the Yamato. Out of reflex, Dante summoned his sword, too.

"Isn't what, Vergil?"

In an instant, Vergil had turned on him, slashing viciously with the Yamato. Dante barely had time to raise his sword in defense, and the force of the blow sent him tumbling backwards. The pain had turned to rage that quickly, and his brother seemed… unhinged compared to his normally composed demeanor. Vergil's precision, his conservation of movements, striking for the kill and not for the sport; none of that was present in the way he moved now. Dante had never felt fear in a fight with his brother, but the look in his brother's eyes sent a chill down his spine.

Vergil leapt into the air, coming down on Dante with his sword aimed straight at his heart. He rolled out of the way just in time. Vergil summoned daggers and started hurling them at Dante. There was no time for any real reaction from him, he could only dodge the attacks as the came. Vergil kept the attacks coming at a breakneck pace, launching daggers and swiping with the Yamato. Dante's ability to dodge and slide out of the way was proving invaluable at the moment. He was so focused on not getting skewered that he barely noticed he was ascending. Vergil was closing in on him still hurling those damn daggers.

"Vergil, can you knock it off? What's the matter with you?"

"Keep moving Dante! Leave this place." The Yamato met Dante's sword with a loud clash. As the swords glanced off of each other, Dante's eyes followed the movement and he finally noticed how high in the air they were. Vergil had been forcing him up the wreckage of the Qliphoth this whole time. No wonder the attacks seemed half-hearted. For once, Vergil really didn't want to hurt him. As much as he had wanted Dante dead just 24 hours ago, he wanted him out of the Underworld. This infuriated Dante. He wasn't going to let his brother stay down here alone again, no matter how much he bitched and moaned about it.

Dante unleashed his Sin Devil form, which clearly shocked Vergil as he paused his attacks for one precious moment. He seized his older brother by the chest, digging his talons into his ribs, then launched into flight. He arced high into the air, Vergil still attempting to stab him with the Yamato, then dove sharply towards the ground. Dante slammed him into the ground with such force that he was almost positive he had broken a few of his brothers bones. The shock of the impact made him drop the Yamato, and the sword clattered across the rocky floor of the Underworld. Dante could feel a surge of power radiating off of his brother, so he released his chest and grabbed him by the neck to choke the power out of him.

"No devil triggers, Vergil. Not for you, anyways. We're gonna talk this out! I'll ease up if you agree. Now, you gonna act like a man? Or am I gonna have to kick your ass again?" Vergil's face was turning red from the lack of oxygen. He tried prying Dante's talons off his neck to no avail. He smacked the ground instead. Tapping out. Dante eased his grip and Vergil gasped. Large, angry streaks of purple were already blossoming across his neck. He would have felt bad if it weren't for the fact that Vergil's demon blood would clear them up in a matter of minutes. Dante reverted back to his human form and stood to retrieve the Yamato, just to make sure Vergil wouldn't run him through with it. Vergil sat up, still sputtering.

"You don't... Get it… Dante."

"And what don't I get, huh? That I don't belong here? Yeah, I agree. I've spent my whole life topside killin' any of these SOBs that were brave enough to make it up there. But you don't belong here either Vergil. I think you know that."

"You don't know… Anything Dante."

"Look just catch your breath, alright?" The two sat in near silence for a few moments, the only sound between them was Vergil's ragged breaths.

"I don't want you down here," Vergil said after ages. "No more than I want to be up there."

"You gotta give me more than that, Verge," Dante pleaded. He squatted down next to his brother, who was still sitting in the crater formed when Dante slammed him into the ground. His right hand had gone to hold his side. Ribs definitely broken. Dante reached out and put a hand on his brother's shoulder, but the man still wouldn't face him.

"You made your choice twenty-something years ago, and I made mine. To stay in our father's home… to seek not just his power, but my own. That was my choice. You chose to stay in the human realm. To become one of them, and kill the demons that crossed your path. Where did that lead us, Dante?" He wasn't sure if he was truly meant to answer, so he stayed silent. Vergil pushed away his brother's and stood on his own, walking away from Dante.

"It led us here, Dante," he said, spreading his arms to gesture at the wreckage of the Qliphoth, the corpses of demons, and the general unpleasantry of the Underworld. "My quest for power led me down a path of loss and subjugation. Enslaved by Mundus because I was a victim of my own arrogance. Tortured for _years_ as a damned puppet in that cursed form. And instead of freedom? I was broken. My body destroyed and what was left of my soul bound to the Yamato. Again, what did I find? I became a tool for that awful scientist. Using me to become a demon himself, to transform others into powerful beings while I… wasn't even anything. And then when the Yamato was passed to Nero, my s-," he cut himself off, still struggling to come to terms with that bit. "When it passed to Nero, I was so broken I couldn't even follow the sword out of that wretched room in the Order's fortress. I was more alone than I had ever been." Vergil paused - he was out of breath. Desperate and crazed, pained with the rush of memories.

"Vergil, I -" A blue dagger imbedded itself suddenly in Dante's shoulder, cutting him off.

"Silence, _brother_," Vergil sneered, finally turning to look Dante in the eyes. "Where did your choice leave you? You wouldn't follow me into the Underworld. You wouldn't take up our father's legacy. We could have defeated Mundus together and ruled side by side as our father could have. We could have brought honor back to his name in the Underworld, the only place it ever mattered. But you let me go down alone, and you left me to die." Vergil started walking slowly towards him at this point. "Worse, you killed me yourself! All your years of slaying demons, and your own brother wasn't even a line you wouldn't cross."

"Vergil, you didn't even recognize yourself, how was I supposed to know? And you think raising the Temen-ni-Gru to unlock father's demon power and put the world back at risk was part of father's legacy? I had to stop you back then, you were being crazy - and manipulated and you didn't even know it!" Dante had started walking too, the brothers circling each other like sharks.  
"We are _brothers_, Dante! All I ever wanted for us was to be together and for us to be strong, but you decided otherwise."

"Don't turn this shit around on me Vergil, you're the one who's been out for blood. Literally. You drained millions of people to eat some nasty-ass fruit and become powerful enough to kill me and I still won. I guess it's fair that you wanted me dead, but if I had known Nelo Angelo was you then of course I wouldn't have killed you! Stop being dramatic Vergil, it's over. I'm not going up there without you, and I'm not leaving you down here alone."

"You have a life up there, and I can make one down here. It's all we've ever known. At this point, it makes no difference to me if one or both of us is dead, or if we both live. But the pain stops here. You've done nothing but hurt me my entire life Dante. Even as kids, you hurt me. But no more, Dante." Instead of leaping into an attack, Vergil stopped pacing. Dante really saw him for the first time. He hadn't aged that much, because there was Vergil didn't physically exist for so long. That cold, heatless fire that burned in his eyes had finally died. Huge purple bags sat under his eyes instead. Vergil didn't stand nearly as tall and proud as he usually did. He was slumped. Tired. Finally defeated. After a long and difficult silence, he looked upwards at the portal that still needed to be closed. "Dante, this is the moment of clarity I've needed my whole life. Nero… he wanted to end our blood feud. Until we're both dead, that won't ever happen. And since he won't let us die, the only way to end this is for you to be up there, and me stay down here. Dante, you have a life and people that depend on you. You need to go back to that. Hand over the Yamato, so I can close the portal with you on the other side. Nero is strong, but he still needs you. He needs you far more than he'll ever need me. Please, Dante." He held his hand out, not in a truce per say, but waiting for Dante to hand back the Yamato.

Dante stared his brother down for a moment. "Vergil… shut the fuck _up_. Just for once, I'm begging you. Don't feed me these lines like I don't know you at all. The second I hand this sword back to you, you're gonna run me through with it and then run off to who knows where. And don't try to pawn Nero off on me when you've been a dead-beat dad his whole life. Look Vergil, we've both made mistakes, and we've both hurt each other. But don't act like you're innocent in all this when you've hurt me too! You think it was easy watching you fall into Hell and refuse my help? I _know _I failed you. And you think it didn't destroy me when I realized that I…" Tears started forming in Dante's eyes. "Damn it. You jackass. Not a day goes by that I _don't _think about that. I haven't really been happy in years. Neither have you. But if you're done trying to destroy the world, I'm done trying to stop you. We can go home and get Nero. We can be the family we lost when we were kids. For godssakes Vergil, you have a _son_! And you've lived your whole life bitching about how you didn't have parents to raise you. Well, Nero didn't either. And I don't know about his mom, but his dad's not dead. Not anymore."

Vergil stared back at Dante, chin raised slightly. Dante quickly wiped his eyes, only for Vergil's tears to finally come into focus. With a pained expression, Vergil dropped to the ground. Dante tossed aside the Yamato and his own sword and lunged forward to catch his sobbing brother.

"I guess devils do cry after all, huh Verge?" Dante asked, chuckling and still fighting back tears of his own.

"Dante… I can't atone for everything I've done. I can't go back."

"Sheesh. You're probably right, but you can try. You can start with Nero." Dante ruffled Vergil's hair before stepping back from his brother. He picked up the Yamato and held it out towards Vergil. He looked up at the weapon, then his brother, and wiped his eyes.

"Come on, Verge. Take the Yamato. You'll close the portal from topside. And if you don't stand up and go right now, then I'll grab you by the tail and drag you outta hell myself."

Vergil looked at him for a moment longer. Without a word, he took the Yamato from Dante and used it to push himself off the ground. He transformed into his Sin Devil form, then gestured to Dante as if to say, "After you." Dante transformed as well, and grabbed his sword. With a nod, he took off into the air and Vergil followed behind him. He gave one last look at the Underworld as he followed his brother's path of ascension. The memories of his past coupled with the thought of atoning for all of his sins nearly overwhelmed him and brought on a new wave of tears. But as the tears slid down his monstrous cheeks, he couldn't help but find bitter irony and a tiny dash of hope in the words "Devils never cry."


	2. A Humbled Return

The brothers landed just at the edge of the portal, returning to their human forms just as their feet hit the ground. Dante hit the ground running and took a few steps forward to balance himself but Vergil, who had regained his composure and was as elegant as ever, simply dropped lightly to the ground. He took a look around and surveyed the damage around him, squinting in the bright light of the human world. Piles of dust disintegrated in the air at the slightest breeze. Whether the dust piles were the remains of the horrid tree or the remains of its human victims… well, he supposed it didn't matter. He covered his mouth as he became suddenly ill at the thought that Urizen ate the fruit formed from the blood of innocents. Vergil had spent a significant amount of his life in the Underworld, but he never really felt the need to eat. He could survive without it. He could remember how the apple felt in Urizen's mouth, metallic in taste and literally bursting with the sticky, red liquid.

He turned quickly back towards the portal. Dante offered a gentle smile and put a hand on his shoulder. "It's a lot to take in bro, but try not to yak. There's nothing we can do about it now but let it take care of itself." Vergil gave a curt nod and unsheathed the Yamato.

"For now, we must focus on the portal. Urizen - I opened it from the human realm, and closing it from the Underworld would create a stronger seal. It does not take much power for a demon to rip into the Underworld as long as they are already on this side. Even I did it when my body was falling apart. Being in the Underworld gives us a significant powerboost that would help ensure the seal does not effectively 'rip' open again. Are you sure…"

"Sure that I want you on this side? Yeah, I'm sure." Vergil gave another short nod.

"Very well then." Vergil spun Yamato in his hand once and tightened his grip on the blade. He raised his arm, bringing the sword down, then swinging horizontally to close the portal. Demon fire burned at the end of the sword in a pale grey as it tore through the portal. The air shimmered and rippled as the portal collapsed in on itself, revealing more of the human world behind it and shutting out the demon world below.

"And that ends that," Vergil said, punctuating each word. "For now, anyways."

"Good work bro, now let's go home. We've been down there awhile right? The ladies probably miss me like crazy, and we'll need to get you set up with your own room and phone line for the business!" Vergil seemed confused at the prospect, but he was truly too overwhelmed with everything that had happened and shrugged it off.

"Well then, where to, brother?"

"You don't remember your way around? I mean, you raised the Temen-ni-Gru not too far from the office. I know we're kinda far, but you should remember right?"

Vergil shook his head. "Dante, it's hard for me to remember these things. Memories before Nelo Angelo… I still have them but they are distorted, as if in a dream." He looked around the block, squinting his eyes to keep out as much sun as possible. They appeared to be near downtown Red Grave, but he wasn't sure exactly where. As he was trying to get his bearings, a motorcycle revved behind him.

"What is that," Vergil growled.

"Remember that demon knight you shoved Trish into? No? Well, got this neat little toy after the fight. Hop on!" Dante was perched on what Vergil recognized as a motorcycle, though he was nearly positive most did not come equipped with blades in the front. The matte black sheen and scalloped metal edges reminded Vergil of a bat. Slowly, he began to see the connection between Cavaliere Angelo and the machine Dante was perched on.

"Where would I even sit?"  
"Behind me, duh. Hop on and hold on." Dante was grinning like he was in on some joke, and was about to make a fool out of Vergil. Vergil eyed him with suspicion and slowly approached. After a moment's hesitation he threw one, long leg over the bike. His hands hovered uncomfortably over Dante, unsure of where to grab. With a groan, he just found a handhold on his jacket. Without waiting for Vergil to give the go ahead, Dante revved the motor once more and took off on the bike.

"Slow down! Are you crazy?" Vergil shouted over the noise of the engine, tightening his grip on his brother. Dante only laughed in response. Vergil's heart was pounding, terrified that his brother was setting him on some complicated path to his destruction. But, it did beat walking an endless amount of city blocks, and they certainly couldn't fly there and hope to maintain a low profile. It wasn't terribly long before they pulled up in front of Devil May Cry. Vergil hopped off the bike before it had come to a complete stop, causing him to stumble a bit. He righted himself, then whirled to face his brother. He ran a hand through his silver hair to brush it back out of his face.

"I _hated_ that." Dante nearly doubled over in laughter as he dismounted the bike, then split it in half by the handles. The bike unfolded into two giant swords that Dante whisked away in a puff of red smoke and flame.

"Don't worry Verge, we'll set you up with your own demon scooter. That might be a little more your speed." Dante looked towards the building, specifically at the neon sign that flickered ever so faintly. Devil May Cry. He grinned as he walked back up the front steps, a wave of relief hitting him as he finally made his way back home. Vergil followed behind, but at a distance, not quite feeling welcome yet. With great gusto, Dante threw the door open.

"Honey, I'm ho-agh!" There was a loud bang and Dante fell to the floor, clutching his chest. Something whizzed by Vergil's head, and he drew Yamato, ready fight.

"Dante! Oh no, I'm so sorry!" An airy, feminine voice that Vergil recognized came from inside. A woman quickly came running out and knelt by Dante. He was already healing up, his demon blood accelerating the process.

"Geez Lady, what kind of welcome home was that?" She threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him so tightly that he lifted her off the floor when he stood. He hugged her waist with one arm, ruffling her short black hair with his free hand.

"Dante, I'm so sorry!" She repeated, burying her face in his neck. "It's been so long since you've been back, we thought there was an intruder!" Her words were muffled, and her breath on Dante's neck made him laugh again. He set her down on the floor and ruffled her hair again. Vergil grimaced at his brother's blood smeared across her white jacket. He sheathed the Yamato again. No need to fight.

"What do you mean you thought we were an intruder, we've only been gone a few days. Right?"

"What? No! You've been gone for nearly a month!" Lady looked at the ground and her voice softened. "Trish and I have been taking jobs to keep the lights on but… we thought you had left for good." Dante tilted her chin back up gently and ran a thumb over her cheek, trying to comfort her.

"Well that was the original plan," Vergil said from the bottom of the steps. "That does make sense, time in the Underworld does pass differently than it does here."

"Is that how you retained your youthful good looks, bro?" Vergil was unimpressed by the joke and rolled his eyes.

"Vergil…" Lady whispered. "Dante, what is he doing here?" Her hand dropped to a pistol strapped to her side, likely the same gun she shot Dante with. Unlike Vergil, she remembered every interaction they had ever had. Vergil fighting Dante in their youth, both of them being betrayed by Arkham, then later being trapped in the demon Artemis by Urizen. She was thrilled to see Dante. She was ready to kill Vergil.

"It's good to see you, too, Mary. I am glad to see you're doing well," he replied flatly. Her hand tightened around the grip of the gun hearing her birth name.

"C'mon Verge, don't start something. And Lady, you're looking at the newest member of team DMC."

"I never agreed to that, Dante. I will stay with you and assist if you need it, but I am no member of this 'team.'"

"Might wanna rethink that, 'cause rent's not free and it's not cheap. Speaking of, you and Trish must be doing a great job to keep the lights on in this place."

"It's not that hard, I think you're just lazy. But come on in! Trish is gonna be so excited to see you too!" She cast a glance at Vergil, and tried a smile. It fell a bit flat. "You too, Vergil." He said nothing and followed as Dante and Lady walked inside.

The office was much the same as Dante had left it, though perhaps a bit cleaner. Morrison must not have let the girls do too much to the place. The old jukebox was where it always was, the bar was fully stocked, his desk was organized, and the pillows were even looking fluffed. He turned towards Vergil and smiled.

"Well, Verge. Mi casa es su casa. Make yourself at home. Trish lives upstairs, Lady lives in an apartment a few blocks away. There's a guest room next to Trish's, though it's not too big. My room is down here on this floor. And, oh! Speak of the she-devil." Dante smiled as Trish made her way down the stairs.

"I thought I heard your loud mouth down here. Dante, welcome home," Trish said warmly. She strode over to Dante calmly with that air of confidence that Dante admired. They shared a brief hug and the three of them were immediately lost in conversation, catching up on the last month. Vergil was extremely uncomfortable.

First, this was the only time he had truly seen Trish up close. She was slender, with long, beautiful blonde hair, and an interesting nose. There was no denying the resemblance she shared with his mother, Eva. Seeing her made his heart ache and his blood boil. She wasn't his human mother, kind and elegant. She was a demon clone. A cheap knock off. Though he was usually indifferent to demons, if not fond of them, she disgusted him. Mundus created her as a trap for his brother. It wasn't enough to feast on her heart, but Mundus had to defile her memory in this way. It sickened him.

Second, it was hard to watch the old friends talk and be left on the outside. Not that he had anything he wanted to say, but it only increased that feeling of being an outsider. A voice in the back of his head told him he should have stayed in the Underworld. No matter what Dante said, or did, Vergil knew that no one was really comfortable with his presence. He wasn't even comfortable with his presence.

He observed for a moment longer, wincing as Trish laughed at Dante's bad joke, scoffed at the way Lady touched his arm. Silently, like a ghost, he made his way alone upstairs and to the guest room. It was indeed small, and looked like it got very little attention. The room had only a small dresser with a mirror, a desk, and a bed. There was hardly room to walk. He ran a finger across the desk, leaving a streak in the dust.

He shrugged out of his coat and laid it gingerly on the dresser. He placed the Yamato on top of it. Vergil ran his fingertips over the smooth, shiny surface of the sheath. There was a deep sadness welling inside of him, but he couldn't place why. Catching his reflection in the mirror, he stopped to really look at himself. White hair, pale blue eyes, straight nose, skin so sun-deprived it seemed translucent. But it was him looking back. Not Nelo Angelo, not Urizen, not V.

Vergil struggled to break his own gaze. He truly couldn't remember the last time he had seen himself. He wandered over to the bed and unbuckled his boots before sliding them off. He flopped backwards onto the twin mattress, suddenly exhausted. A thought ran through his head and he let out a short chuckle. He snapped his fingers, and his vest and pants transformed into a simple black t-shirt and grey sweatpants. Changing the form of his clothes had been a handy trick he learned in his many years in the Underworld. He couldn't help but chuckle again, since this was the first time he was able to change his appearance to something meant for comfort and not function. Vergil put his hands behind his head, and let his eyes slide shut. He could still hear his brother's laugh from upstairs.


End file.
